BBC Learning English

Words in the News

Dallas comeback
18 June 2012

In terms of comebacks, it could be one of the most unlikely. Yet one of the world's most
popular long-running TV series, Dallas, is returning to television. There will be new
characters, but the show's producers are hoping viewers will once again get excited by
JR's evil plans, and his brother Bobby's selfless devotion. The BBC’s John McManus
reports:

It was the soap opera that gripped us with the feuding and love-lives of the Ewing

family, oil millionaires from Texas, who despite their vast wealth, all chose to live side by

side in a vast ranch. Dallas became so popular that it was sold to TV networks around the

world and the 1980 cliff hanger of 'who shot JR', the show's resident villain, was

watched by 80 million people.

JR of course, survived the shooting, and now his character, played by Larry Hagman, is

swaggering through Texas once more, alongside his saintly brother Bobby, and

alcoholic ex-wife Sue-Ellen. The original series became synonymous with a free-market

'greed is good' view of the world, where it was acceptable, and even expected, that the

rich would flaunt their wealth.

So making money will still be the main motivator for most of the Ewings. Yet in the

middle of a global downturn, with real Americans struggling to find jobs and pay their

bills, will anyone want to watch it again? Larry Hagman is optimistic. He says the

original series became popular during a US recession, as people chose to stay at home to

save money, and watched TV instead. Of course, what viewers will really want to see, is

JR getting away with double-crossing his own family... again... and again... and again...

Words in the News © British Broadcasting Corporation 2012

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Vocabulary and definitions

soap opera a television or radio drama series dealing typically

with daily events in the lives of the same group of
characters.
gripped take a firm hold of

feuding fighting

cliff hanger ending in suspense

swaggering walking confidently

saintly good – almost holy

synonymous closely associated

flaunt show off

optimistic positive

double-crossing cheating

Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/06/120618_witn_dallas.shtml

More about this story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18421737

Words in the News © British Broadcasting Corporation 2012

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